BRANDON, MB, March 1, 2013 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada announced new funding to support youth in southwestern Manitoba to help them gain the knowledge they need to enter and succeed in the job market. The announcement was made by Merv Tweed, Member of Parliament for Brandon-Souris, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.
"Our government's top priorities are creating jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity," said Mr. Tweed. "The Government of Canada's Youth Employment Strategy is helping youth develop the skills and gain the experience they need to get jobs now and prepare for the workforce of tomorrow."
The Manitoba School Counsellors' Association is receiving $25,000 from the Youth Awareness program to help youth learn about educational and career options. Youth Awareness complements the Government of Canada's Youth Employment Strategy (YES). It provides financial assistance for projects designed to promote youth as the workforce of the future.
The association will organize Brandon Career Symposium 2013, a job fair being held March 4-6, to promote education and employment opportunities to high school students and other local youth. Attendees will meet exhibitors from educational institutions, not-for-profit organizations and the private sector and receive information to help with their career planning.
"Funding support from the Government of Canada is essential to our initiative," said symposium coordinator Matt Duboff. "The Government's relationship with the Brandon Career Symposium shows its consistent commitment to employment and training in Western Manitoba and rural communities."
With annual funding of more than $300 million, YES helps youth, particularly those facing barriers to employment, obtain career information, develop employment skills, find jobs and stay employed. YES includes the Skills Link and Career Focus programs and the Canada Summer Jobs initiative, which creates thousands of job opportunities for students every summer.
Economic Action Plan 2012 is providing an additional $50 million over two years to enhance YES through a new initiative that will connect young Canadians with jobs that are in high demand and help them develop tangible skills and gain work experience.
Youth employment programs are part of the Government of Canada's broader strategy to create an educated, skilled and flexible workforce. The Government underscored its commitment to this strategy in Canada's Economic Action Plan. A key component of the Plan is to create more and better opportunities for Canadian workers through skills development. To learn more about Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit actionplan.gc.ca.
The Government of Canada is helping youth plan their careers, learn new skills and find jobs through enhanced online services available at youth.gc.ca.
Backgrounder
The Youth Employment Strategy is the Government of Canada's commitment to help youth make a successful transition to the workplace.
Skills Link helps youth facing barriers to employment, including youth who are single parents, youth with disabilities and youth in rural and remote areas, to develop the skills and gain the experience needed to find a job or the confidence to return to school.
Career Focus provides funding to employers to hire young post-secondary graduates to give them career-related work experience and help them acquire skills to transition into the job market.
Canada Summer Jobs provides funding to not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers and small businesses with 50 or fewer employees to create summer job opportunities for young people aged 15 to 30 years who are full-time students intending to return to their studies in the next school year.
Youth Awareness complements the Youth Employment Strategy. It provides financial assistance for projects designed to promote youth as the workforce of the future and aims to expand their awareness of career and educational opportunities.
To learn more about Canada's Youth Employment Strategy and other youth employment initiatives, visit youth.gc.ca.
SOURCE: Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
Marian Ngo
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Finley
819-994-2482
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
819-994-5559
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IF THERE IS A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN ANY PRINTED VERSION AND THE ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THIS NEWS RELEASE, THE ELECTRONIC VERSION WILL PREVAIL.
This news release is available online at actionplan.gc.ca.
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